Topless no more.

We are supposed to get rain tonight. That means I have to put the top up.

I have been driving around for 10 days with the top down. It's been wonderful. Even though I don't drive long distances, just the drive to the office and home with the top down has been wonderful.

It's "rained" twice in those 10 days. They were mere showers; over and done in 5 minutes. Last week, I kept a towel by the back door because the dew was pretty heavy and I had to towel off the inside and the front window.

On these days when the temperature is perfect and the sky is clear, I think about hopping into the Jeep and driving in no particular direction. In the past, I might have done that. Picked a direction, say north, and just drove for 3 hours. My neighbor does that on his motorcycle. He takes off about noon and doesn't come back until 6. The only thing you'd really stop for is water and gas.

It's the gas part that stops this idea cold. I really don't have the funds to be out wandering about. While a drive to the Mississippi River or to downstate Springfield or into Indiana or Michigan or up to Milwaukee is easily done, it takes money for the gas, money I don't have. I have to be frugal and only drive topless when I need to. Right now, anyway, my Sunday drive trips are non-existent.

Still, can't beat the pleasure of coming back from a job with the top down, the sun at my back and the wind in my hair. I've never ridden in my Jeep with the top down. I'm always the driver. Wonder if it's just as much fun for a passenger as it is for me?

Beverage: Irish Breakfast Tea

Deb

Best days for going topless.

Pam's car was hit over the weekend. It was parked in front of the house and a neighbor, backing out, didn't see it. As her hubby works for Sears in Hoffman Estates and she works for Wheaton College, he needs a car more than she does to get to work. But she does need to get to work. Time to ask a favor.

"Oh sure, I'll come get you at lunch," was my response. How can I say, "No" when we are rather flexible about hours? Just get your work done and you get paid for 40 hours. And besides, Pam has fed my cats for at least 9 years. For that reason alone, I can take an hour at lunch to go get her and take her home for her dog.

Kacey has arthritis and needs medication. They have just started a new drug which has to be given 4 times a day which means Pam needs to go home at lunch. We swung by Wendy's for a quick lunch for ourselves and then to Pam's for Kacey.

The top is down. It has been down for over a week although there is a rumor of rain this afternoon and tomorrow. The weather has been beautiful. It was easy to pick up the girls last Thursday because I could put them into the back of the Jeep and buckle in the carriers without having to climb in. Ever been in the back seat of a Jeep Wrangler? A mailbox has more room.

It's been in the 70's during the day with upper 50's to low 60's at night. Other than needing a light shirt on some mornings, it's shirt-sleeves and blue sky and sunshine. I didn't go anywhere over the weekend because I was bonding so the Jeep sat topless, except for 3:30 a.m. on Sunday morning when a rainstorm rolled through. I thought about just letting the inside get wet. It's a Jeep, after all, but when the rain seemed to intensify after 10 minutes, I decided I'd get out of bed and just put up the top, not latch it. Once it dried, the next day, I put it back down.

On these kinds of days, I have to leave the house a wee bit early as the dew settles all over the interior. I have to wipe down where I'm going to sit. The inside of the windshield gets dew covered as does the rear view mirror. There's always a dishtowel with me on these kinds of days.

Pam laughed when she climbed into the Jeep. She had sort of forgotten that it's up rather than over to get in. I'm the same height as the seat so it's just a slide over for me. I always joke that a topless ride will mess up your hair. On the way back to the office, I had to plop on my visor which then gives me that "ring" around my hair.

Yet, I wished that I didn't have to go back to the confines of the box, the office, the phone, the desk. Would that I could just drive. I have no idea where I'd end up but I would have driven around for a couple hours, just drove. Fall is coming. I can smell it in the air. It may be an old Jeep, but days like this are balm for my weary soul.

Beverage: Mr. Pibb

Deb

Gray watch - month 3

I am a wee bit late. There was some stress in my life and I wanted to just curl up in a ball and forget the world.

But here's August's photo taken today after coming home. The top is down as the weather has been beautiful.

That would be gray hair there. Pam said on Monday that it looked liked I'd spent $$$ to have my hair done with highlights. I'm pretty shaggy actually. It gets cut in a couple of weeks.

Beverage: Nothing (eating the last of my chocolate chip ice cream)

Deb

It will make your hair messy.

It's gorgeous out, simply gorgeous. I put down the top yesterday afternoon in anticipation of today. I had to download the data from the University of Chicago project which meant a drive into the city.

Finally, a real chance to use the visor I got in Seattle at the Museum of Flight. The visor I had for the last 5 years finally creased in the middle to the point that it wasn't comfortable. I always keep the visor as you see, through winter, spring, summer and fall. That way, if the weather proves delicious, it's handy.

The sky was clear blue. No clouds. Lake Michigan was as calm as a broad expanse of water that deep can be. Sailboats were taking advantage of the day and were out on the water. The city was not obscured by haze. There was a light breeze from the south so sitting at a stop light was actually a pleasant experience.

I wore the visor into the city in the morning, but didn't need it coming out. I always think road construction is easier to take if the radio's tuned to jazz and the top is down. Yes, you can get some 'interesting' smells, but feeling the sunshine on your skin can't help but lift your mood.

I have air conditioning. Drive 65 with the windows off.

Beverage: China Black tea

Deb

Topless

Proof. 'Nuff said.

Beverage: "real" cherry Coke

Deb

Chicagoland, we are finally topless!

After much waiting and watching and wondering, the top finally came off at noon when I ran over to Dominicks to get lunch. I took the windows off earlier but I can't take the top down in the morning because keeping dew trapped against the canvas is not a good thing. I'm out of dish detergent so I had to go to the grocery. I took the top down.

I know. I know. Photos or it didn't happen. I'll take some at home.

I couldn't take it off back in May because I was sick and didn't want the air rushing about my face. Since getting well in June, I have waited for a string of nice days in a row. Although it's harder to put it back up than to take it down, I don't want to take it down one day and have to put it up that night because it's going to rain. The repeated folding is not good for the top.

I know it's to be nice tomorrow and the long-term forecast doesn't call for rain until next Tuesday. Now I need to grab someone and go for a ride!

Finally, a chance to use the new visor I got when I visited Carole in Seattle.

Beverage: Heck, Lunch: Salad, cheese bagels, lemon cookies and Dr. Pepper.

Deb